fab friday finds - ring bearer pillow by cucire | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding Planners

I confess, I've been slightly obsessed with this ring bearer pillow from Cucire by Andrea Rae since the first time I saw it. Check out her entire collection of handmade items on Etsy or stop by The Bridal Studio in Covington, KY - they have plenty of Cucire items for sale as well. Oh and did I mention Andrea is another one of our former clients?

Tools + Tips Thursday - First Things First | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding and Event Planners

Congratulations, you are engaged! Now what?

One of the first things you should do besides calling, texting, twittering your big news to your friends + family... is to figure out your budget.

Yes, the dreaded budget. So many brides are so excited, they pick a date, book a venue and then realize they have no idea what the bottom line really is. This can cause newlyweds to go into unnecessary debt and spend money unforseen costs.

There are standard budget templates available all over the web. If you are a DIY bride, start with these. Remember though these are just guidelines. If you don't care about cake then take some of that percentage and add it to the photography budget. The important thing to remember is to prioritize what is important to you on that day and allocate the funds you need in those areas.

If budget planning seems overwhelming to you, consult a wedding planner. (shameless plug? yes, but it is our blog, right?) An experienced planner can sit down with you and discuss your vision and how to make it work with your budget. Remember every bride has a budget - some are big and some are small, but there is always a bottom line. Budget planning + vendor recommendations have recently become services in high demand from our clients. Perhaps it's the economy or just more responsible spending, but we love showing couples how to work within their budget + still achieve the overall vision for their wedding day.

Regardless how you devise your budget, make sure you do, then consider how to make it all happen for that price tag. Clueless of how to make that happen? Consult a wedding planner. Most of us offer consultation only packages including budget creation + vendor recommendations. Believe it or not, a wedding planner can help you save money and we love helping our clients do so!

What to Wear Wednesday | Cincinnati Wedding Planners

The event for today? Your rehearsal dinner. I love the color of this gorgeous purple dress and the fun black accessories.... add the chiffon ring (less than $3!) and you have a perfectly pulled together sophisticated + quietly sexy outfit. The total cost - $144.55


Dress - Art Effect
Earrings - Sam Moon
Headband - My Vintage Lolita via Etsy
Ring - Forever 21
Purse - Forever 21
Shoes - Caparros via DSW

photo of the week = runaway bride | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding + Event Planners

Such a cute photo today - courtesy of the brilliant Bobbi + Mike. I found it while looking at their top lists from 2009. I was so happy to see some of our previous photos of day/week featured as their favorites too. I even almost picked one that we featured a few months ago! Check out the bobbi + mike blog to look at all of the eye candy from 2009.

Best of the Knot 2010 | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding + Event Planners

Ok, so we can't hide the fact that we are GIDDY about being selected as one of the Best of the Knot Wedding Planners for 2010. The best part is the awards are determined based on feedback from real couples. We are simply honored! Thank you to all of our 2009 clients for helping us be one of the best!

XOXO,
Jules + Lindsey

Inspiration: Peacock Feathers | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding + Event Planners

I love the deep jewel tones in this Peacock inspired board. Again, we were able to feature a local Cincinnati vendor - Tres Belle Cakes - with her beautiful peacock cake. After finding the clutch from Red Ruby Rose via Etsy and the gorgeous save the date from Meant to be Sent, the board really started to come together. The end result is a rich + opulent board with just a touch of the unexpected.

Cake Bouquet Dress Clutch Table Runner Save the Date Ring

fab friday finds - Coco Myles Bridesmaids + more! | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding Planners

Fun + fashionable bridesmaid dresses at affordable prices? Count me in. I recently discovered Coco Myles - a site offering customized bridesmaid dresses. You pick the fabric, colors, shapes, etc. You can create your own or choose from one of their celebrity inspired styles (which are my favorite). Even with the celeb-inspired styles, you can still customize colors + fabric.

And did I mention they have a men's section where you can expertly match a tie + pocket square to your maids' dresses? They also have a maternity, jr. bridesmaid and jewelry section.

Here's another bonus.... use code JS121 to save an additional 10% off the already reasonable prices.

Honestly... I would love to wear some of these dresses - wedding or not! Definitely something your bridesmaids will wear again.

I've included several of my favorites, but there are virtually endless combinations on the site, so check it out for yourself!

Ultra hip, hollywood inspired dresses like these:
Bradgelina + Rachel


Sassy, flirty celeb-inspired gowns like these:
Reese + Blueberry




Or create your own fun + funky combinations with the custom creator like I did here:

Tools + Tips Thursday - The Crochet Hook | Cincinnati + Dayton Wedding and Event Planners

Another regular feature for the blog will be Tools + Tips Thursdays. Each Thursday we'll share a tool, tip or trick we have used throughout the years at events.

Today's tool is the Crochet Hook. These little bad boys are perfect for that button up back with a billion buttons + loops. We keep various sizes on hand to make sure we have the right fit and always recommend the bride have one on hand for getting out of the dress later! The small ones are also handy for tiny or stubborn zippers.

This package of six comes in a carrying pouch + it's only $9.99 @ Joann Fabrics.

sweat + hard work = internship (take two)

Ok, so we're being a wee bit dramatic. It's not completely all work and no play, we have been known to have a lot of fun at our events too... but the sweat + hardwork comes first.

So if you think you have what it takes to survive in the wedding business... we've got the perfect way for you to find out. Read on for details on the Cincy Event Planning internship....

What the internship is:
... An invaluable look at the hard work that really goes into an event
... A great opportunity to learn from some of the best (ok, well at least the most fun) planners in Cincy
... A fabulous way to determine if event planning is truly something you are passionate about
... Climbing, hanging, folding, arranging, setting up, fixing, running, rearranging anything and everything



What the intership isn't:
... like anything you've seen in the movies (ie. The Wedding Planner)
... Paid
... Permanent (internship will span spring, summer, early fall)
... Full-time (about 10-15 hours per week when we have an event)

Okay so you have the basic details...still interested?
Fab-u-lous...Keep reading



We definitely have more to chat about if you are:
... calm in the face of adversity
(like a mother-in-law breathing down your neck)
... fun, funny (we like to laugh), and a good negotiator
... pumped to do physical labor (in heels)
... comfortable getting dirty
... willing to learn lots of new skills
(likely to include sewing, and scaling tall ladders)
... knowledgeable about colors,flowers and have a good fashion sense
(of course we have to look good)
... able to visualize and be creative without being directed
... keep up with the latest trends
... well organized



Sorry, we are not interested if:
... Your Saturdays are highly valuable and your social calendar is full of weekend cookouts and events.

Still reading? Sweet. Still Interested? Even better.

Here's what we want:
A list of 10 random facts that will help us get to know you. Be creative, quirky, silly, whatever, just don't bore us. Personality is key people.

If you grab our attention, we'll be in touch. Send us an email (feel free to include photos, we LOVE photos) with your list to get things started.

Deadline for submission is Monday March 1st, 2010

Here's what we don't want:
Your resume. Your job experience. Unsolicited requests for paid positions. Phone calls.

What to Wear Wednesday | Cincinnati Wedding Planners

Today's feature outfit comes in at $142.68 and is perfect for an afternoon Bridal Shower with family or friends. My favorite part of the outfit? The shoes.

Sweater - JCrew
Linen Pants - JCrew
Earrings - Forever 21
Clutch - Forever 21
Shoes - Steve Madden

photo of the week by Cathy + David photographers

love this photo by Cathy + David. I could have chosen several from this wedding, but this one just stuck with me - probably because it's not a typical wedding shot + it made me laugh.

The couple had photos from different years of their lives on the tables. These, of course, were their totally awesome senior pics. For more pics from this real wedding check out Cathy + David's blog here.

Inspiration: Alice in Wonderland | Cincinnati Wedding + Event Planners

The inspiration from this board started with the bracelet from this outfit on What to Wear Wednesday. After I found the save-the-date and the new postage stamps.... I was well on my way to a fun + whimsical board. We were able to incorporate items from two Cincinnati vendors as well - the gorgeous flowers from Katie Elfers + amazing cake from LeSucre Bakery.



Stamps Dress Flowers Cake Dress Save the Dates Sign Bracelet Suit

fab friday finds - Ann Taylor Bridesmaid Dresses 40%

Ann Taylor is having an online only sale where you can save 40% off one item (use code SAVE40) - which includes their special occasions line. This makes the dresses that are normally $165-$215 a more affordable $99-$129. Great selection of styles including these:

Kelly + Mark on Wedding Chicks - Real Weddings

Check out the amazing images (courtesy of Studio 3z) from Kelly + Mark's modern day glam wedding in the Real Weddings section of The Wedding Chicks!

What to Wear Wednesday | Cincinnati Wedding Planners

We're excited to annouce a new feature for Wednesdays.... What to Wear Wednesday. We'll cover Rehearsal Dinners, Engagement Parties, Bridesmaid Brunches, Bridal Showers, Couples Showers, Honeymoon attire... and anything else we can think of!

Best of all the entire outfit will be $150 or less (including shoes!). Feel free to email us and we'll do a customized What to Wear for you as one of our features.

The total cost for today's featured outfit is $131.79. We chose these pieces for an engagement party - since this is a very popular time of year for engagements.

Dress: JCrew
Earrings: Forever 21
Hairpin: Sam Moon
Bracelet: Forever 21 (Alice in Wonderland... how cool is that?)
Shoes: Franco Sarto

To Our 2009 Couples - Thank You! | Real Weddings, Cincinnati Wedding + Event Planners

A huge thank you to our fabulous 2009 couples!!!! Not a bridezilla in the bunch....seriously you all rock. Lindsey and I are so honored to have worked with each and every one of you. Thank you for making 2009 a fantastic + fun + successful year for CEP.

Of course, I can't post without a pic, so I created a collage with some of our 2009 clients (we're still waiting anxiously waiting on photos from some of our events).

Is it just me or did we have some seriously good looking couples this year??? Enjoy!

Anne + Brendy's First Dance | Real Weddings Cincinnati Ohio

Jason from Iconography shared this link of Anne + Brendy Lange's first dance. The wedding was at St. Ursula Chapel followed by a gorgeous evening reception at Ault Park. Enjoy!